Senate ready to debate opening books to auditor general

OTTAWA — Members of the House of Commons were readying Tuesday to debate two motions from the New Democrats to cut funding altogether to the upper chamber.

One motion, from NDP Treasury Board critic Mathieu Ravignat, calls on the government to cut all funding to the red chamber on Canada Day, making it impossible for the Senate to operate.

A second motion, from NDP MP Pat Martin, will call on the government to cut $58-million in program funding to the Senate, removing that spending from the main estimates, which lay out how much the government expects to spend in a given fiscal year. Martin has attempted to cut funding to the Senate in previous years to no avail.

The NDP wants the Senate abolished altogether and its motions reflect that notion. However, motions are non-biding, and the Conservative government would be expected to snuff out both proposals.

The Senate was also preparing Tuesday to debate a proposal to invite the auditor general to review senators’ spending claims.

The government leader in the Senate, Marjory LeBreton, planned to introduce a motion that would allow Auditor General Michael Ferguson’s office the chance to conduct a “comprehensive” audit of the Senate’s expenses. What “comprehensive” entails has yet to be determined, but LeBreton has said that all options are on the table.

The motion likely won’t be voted on before the end of the day as opposition senators may want an opportunity to debate the details of the auditor general’s review.

A Conservative majority in the Senate means the motion ultimately will be successful. The Liberal Senate leader, James Cowan, said Monday he wasn’t opposed to idea, but wanted to see the details before agreeing to the idea.

“The auditor general audits what has happened in any fiscal year. A good next step would be proactive disclosure,as followed by ministers, senior public servants and diplomats, where expenditures are posted online and with explanation within 10 days of happening,” said Conservative Sen. Hugh Segal, who has previously called for the auditor general to review Senate expenses.